Cardboard carton



ly 1938. w. R. QUAGLIOTTI 2,124,955

CARDBOARD CARTON Filed May 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Shet 1 i l I 31-4 IN V EN TOR.

July 26, 1938. w. R. uAeuoT'fi CARDBOARD CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1936 INVENTOR MJ/mm 1701224120 Qmy/mil BY /3 3 EH2 ATTORyEY Patented July 26, 1938 PAETOFFICE CARDBOARD CARTQN William Romano Quagllotti,

Victorim' smash Columbia, Canada Application May 13,1936, derial No. 29,518

9 Claims.

My invention relates to foldable or collapsible or pasteboard cartons or boxes and my present application is in thenature of a. continuation in part of my application Serial Number 697,052,

filed November '7, 1933, Patent No. 2,041,021, is-

sued May 19, 1936.

An object of my present invention is to provide a one piece foldable cardboard box having an integral strap-like handle thereon.

Another object is to provide a one-piece box having a strap-like handle which extends transversely across the top of the box when the box is set up and closed, said handle lying flat on the top of the box so that it is always completely out of the way and at the same time is always in such a position that the fingers may be quickly and easily slipped under such handle to pick up and carry the box.

In boxes made of fragile material, such as card board. when a flat strap-like integral handle is provided extending straight across the box from one side to the other in close proximity to the top of the box there will be a substantial force 26 exerted tending to collapse or draw in the sides of the box when articles of substantial weight are placed in the box and the box is carried by the handle. This collapsing or drawing in of the sides of the box is objectionable, especially when 30 the box is used as a container for easily damaged or easily crushed goods, as for instance, frosted cakes, or like bakery goods. It is an object of my present invention to provide stiiiiener or compression means in a cardboard box of this 5 type to resist collapse or bending in of the sides of said box when the same is supported by the transverse strap-like handle and to further provide a stifiener of this nature which will help to prevent bending down of the cover of the box.

40 Other objects of my invention are to provide a collapsible one-piece box which is simple and economical in construction, easy and convenient to set up and emcient in use.

Other and more specific objects of the inven- 45 tion will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a view of a blank from which this box is constructed, showing the 50 same before folding, the lines along which the folds are to be made being shown by broken lines.

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of this box in a set-up and closed position.

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary perspective view of a 5 portion of the box.

views of modified forms-of stiffener means which may be embodied in the box shown in Figs. 5 1 to d,

Fig. 8, is a blank of a different form of one piece box constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 9, is a perspective view of a box made 10 from the form of blank shown in Fig. ii, showing the box closed. v

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive the one piece box therein illustrated is made from a flat blank oi foldable material, as cardboard, cut and scored to provide a rectangular bottom portion 28, two oppositely disposed side walls it having slots 22 and 23 provided therein, and two other oppositely disposed side walls 24 positioned at right-angles to the side walls 2i. Locking tongues or hooks 25 extend outwardly from the ends of the side walls 2d and are adapted to fold at right-angles to the side walls 24! and engage within the slots 22 when the box is set up. Two cover flaps 2d and Eli are connected, respectively, with the side walls it said cover flaps being cut loose from the end flaps 25 by cuts 23. The cover flap 26 has two end flaps 29 connected with the ends thereof. Said cover flap 26 is further provided along its outer edge with a fold-over portion 30 formed by scoring, preferably along two lines it and 82. Two perforations 33 are preierably provided in the fold-over portion adjacent the ends thereof and extending across the 35 line scoring 3i. The other cover flap it has end flaps at on the ends thereof. A strap-like handle portion it is connected by tab portions 36 with the end flaps 3 Preferably a cut 3'7 severs the handle portion 35 from the cover flap 2i so that g said handle portion 35 may be easily folded back onto the cover flap 2? when the box is set up and closed. Tabs 8t extend outwardly from the ends of the handle it and are provided with booklike portions 3t adapted to engage within the slots it when the box is set up and the cover closed.

To set up this box the side walls 25 are bent upwardly along scored lines M at substantially right-angles to the bottom. The other side walls 2d are then bent upwardly along scored lines iii, the hook members it bent inwardly along scored lines d2'toward the side walls 2i and the hook portions inserted through the slots 22, and engaged, as shown in Fig. 4. The box is then ready to receive articles or merchandise. Before the cover flaps 26-21 are closed the end'fiaps 23 and 341 are preferably bent, along scored lines 43, at substantially right-angles to said cover flaps and the fold-over portion 36 is first bent double along line 3| and then again bent double along line 32. The cover flap 26 is then pressed downwardly onto the top of the box with the notches formed by the perforations 33 fitting over the top edges of the sides 2| and the end fiaps 29 pressed against the ends 2|. The other cover fiap 21 is then closed over the cover fiap 26, the strap handle portion 35 folded over along scored lines 44 and cut 31, so that it lies on top of the cover flap 21, the tabs 36 bent down along scored lines 45 and the hook-like portions 39 inserted in the slots 23.

When the fold-over portion 30 is twice folded over and then released it will tend to spring back into the V-shaped position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 except that the end portions of said foldover portion which lie beyond the notches 33 will lie fiat against the sides 2i of the box. This fold-over portion, due to the fact that it assumes substantially a V shape, thus forms a more rigid and substantial compression member than it would if folded flatly against the cover fiap 26. Also the notch portions 33 are engaged by the sides 2| and the sides thereby supported so that they can not easily be bent inwardly. The cover flap 21 closes over the folded edge portion of cover flap 26 and the tabs 36 firmly secure both of said cover fiaps in closed position when the hook elements 39 are engaged within the slots 23.

When the box is closed the handle strap 35 will ordinarily lie fiatly against the box cover where it will occupy a minimum space and be entirely out of the way and will not interfere with the stacking of a plurality of these boxes one on the other. At the same time it is always possible to easily insert the fingers under said handle 35 to lift and carry the box. The tabs 36 connect the handle portion 35 to the remainder of the box but are not called upon to withstand much strain. By making these tabs 36 longer, that is, by cutting back further into the end flaps 34 it is possible to provide greater flexibility between the handle and the cover fiap 21. The strain due to a weight in the box is supported by the four hook-like elements 39 and the tabs 38 and the handle is continuous from one side of the box to the other.

Because the handle bends over the top edges of the box and extends almost straight across the top of the box and is fiexible there will be a tendency to bend the top edges of the box inwardly, such tendency varying directly in proportion to the weight in the box. This tendency is offset by the provision of the folded-over compression portion 36 on the cover flap 26. This folded-over portion 30 also has the further function of stiffening the top of the box and preventing said top from being pressed downwardly onto articles which may be placed within the box. This reduces the danger of damaging goods in these boxes when the boxes are stacked one upon another.

In Figs. 5, 6 and '7, I have shown three modified forms of fold-over means which may be used instead of the V-shaped fold-over means 36 disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. In the fold-over means disclosed in Fig. 5, the edge portion of a cover flap 46 is provided with a notch 41 to fit over the box edges and is bent once at substantially right-angles to the cover flap to form a downwardly extending reinforcing portion 43.-

1 In Fig. 6. the edge portion of a cover flap 43 is doubled over sharply by a single fold to provide a reinforcing member 56 which lies fiat against the cover flap.

.In Big. '7. the edge portion of a cover fiap II is twice doubled sharply to form a reinforcing member 52 of double thickness which lies fiat against the cover flap. Obviously other forms of folding, bending over, or rolling of the edge portion of a cover flap may be employed to provide this transverse reinforcing.

Figs. 8 and 9 are substantially reproductions of drawings divided out of my prior application hereinbei'ore identified and of which this application is a continuation in part.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I have shown a box comprising a bottom portion 53 side portions 54, corner portions 55 cover fiaps 56 attached to two oppositely positioned side portions 55 and end flaps 51 on the cover flaps. Slots 58 are provided in two opposite side portions 54 respectively. Slots 56 are provided in one cover flap 56. A handleforming extension comprising handle member 66, tabs 6| and rectangular cut-out portion 62 is provided on one cover flap 56 and a hook-like looking extension 63 is provided on the opposite cover flap 56.

In setting up this box the sides 56 are folded up along scored lines 64, the corners-forming portions 55 are folded along diagonal lines 65 and along lines 66; the cover members 56 are both folded inwardly along lines 61, with the fiap 62 underneath the hook-like member 63 and said hook-like member 63 extending through the opening left by displacement of the fiap 62, the hooklike ends of member 63 are inserted in slots 59 and the handle portion 606| is doubled, first on line 66 then on lines 69, then on lines 16 and then on lines 1| and the ends of said handle portion are bent downwardly and hook elements 12 on the extremities of said handle portion are inserted in the slots 58. This completes the box as shown in Fig. 9. It will be noted that when the handle portion 60 is folded on line 66 a double or two-ply handle is provided. In this box the handle lies substantially fiat on the top of the box, is continuous from one side to the other of the box and helps to hold down the cover and end fiaps so as to form a neat appearing compact and strong box.

The foregoing description and drawings clearly disclose what Inow regard as a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a one-piece foldabie box of the class described, means forming a box bottom, sides and cover, a flat strap-like integral handle extending across the top of the box in a plane substantially parallel to the top of the box and having its ends secured to the sides of the box; and a stiffener member extending across the top of the box in the same direction as said handle and in close proximity to said handle.

2. In a one-piece foldabie box of the class described, means forming a box bottom and sides; two cover flaps connected with theupper edges of two opposite sides of the box andarranged to overlap when in closed position a stiffener member on the edge of the underlapping cover flap preventing inward collapse 01 the sides of the box; and a flat strap-like handle extending across the top of the box in a plane substantially parallel to the top of the box. said handle having its ends secured to the sides of the box.

'3. In a one-piece foldable box of the class described, means forming a box bottom and sides; two cover flaps connected with the upper edges of two opposite sides of the box and arranged to overlap when in closed position; a stifiener member on the edge oi the underlapping cover flap preventing inward collapse of the sides of the box; a fiat strap-like handle extending across top of the box in a plane substantially parallel to the top of the box; said handle extending downwardly over the sides or the box and detachable means securing the ends of said handle member to op-i posite sides of the box.

d. In a one-piece foldable box oi the class described, means forming avbox bottom and sides; two cover flaps connected with the upper edges oi two opposite sides of the box and arranged to overlap when in closed position; end pa on d cover flaps, a stiffener member on the edge of the underlapping cover flap preventing inward collapse of the sides of the box; a flat strap-like handle connected with the end flaps on the overlapping cover flap and extending across the top or the box in a plane substantially parallel to the top of the box and positioned substantially over said stiiiener member; end tabs on said handle extending downwardly over opposite sides of said box holding said end flaps close to said box and means securing said end tabs to the sides of said box below the edges of said end flaps.

5. In a one-piece ioldable box oi the class described, meansiorming a box bottom and sides;

two cover flaps connected with the upperedges or two opposite sides of the box; a stifiener mom 0 ber of substantially V-shaped cross-section integral with the forward edge of one of said cover flaps extending transversely of the box preventine inward collapse of the sides of the box; and a flat strap-like handle overlapping said v-shaped stiflener member and extending across the box substantially parallel to the top oi the box when the box is closed, the ends of said handle being secured to the sides oi the box.

6. In a one-piece foldable box of the cl described, means iorming a box bottom and sides: two cover flaps connected with the upper edges of two opposite sides of the box; a stiffener member extending downwardly from the front edge of one of said cover flaps; notches in said stifiener member fitting over edges of the box when said cover flap rests on the top of the box, said stidener member preventing-inward bending oi the sides of the box; and a flat strap-like handle overlapping said stidener member and-extending across the box substantially parallel to the top oi the box when, the box is closed, the ends of said an dle being secured to the sides of the box.

7. In a one-piece ioldable box or the class described, means forming a rectangular bottom and tour sides, two oppositely positioned sides having slots therein; two cover flaps connected with the other two oppositely positioned sides of said box; end flaps on said cover flaps adapted to extend over the slotted sides of the box when the cover flaps are closed; and a relatively flat strap-like handle extending across the top of said box and downwardly over said end flaps and over the sides of said box and attaching means on the ends of said handle adapted to engage within the slots in the sides of said box.

b. The apparatus as claimed in claim "7 in which the handle is formed oi a plurality oi overlapped plies of material integral with one of said cover flaps.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the two cover flaps are provided with interlocking means independently of said handle member securing said two cover flaps together. 

